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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Posy Pocket Tote Tutorial

Hi there! I have a really cute tote bag to share with you today! I haven't done a bag tutorial in a while, and thought it was time to share something new with you guys! I wanted to make a new tote - but I wanted to kick up the storage a notch. I tend to just throw everything in my bag and then I have a ton of stuff just swimming in the bottom of the bag. Which is definitely super annoying! So to help with this dilemma, I designed the Posy Pocket Tote! This tote is made featuring "Posy Garden" by Carina Gardner for Riley Blake Designs:

This tote has plenty of pockets to keep all those smaller items you need to access easily! The bag has 2 zippered pockets (one in the front and one in the lining) and another two regular pockets in the lining! With four pockets, you will have plenty of places to store whatever you need in this cute tote bag!

This bag is really quite easy to put together - there are no pattern pieces you need to trace and cut out - you can quickly cut everything with a rotary cutter and ruler. Which is definitely a plus - I don't love cutting out pattern pieces! ;) If you are scared of zippers - please don't let this frighten you! Once you sew a zipper into a bag - you will be hooked and wonder why you haven't tried it before!

Step 3: On your pocket piece, you will mark a line 1.5” ( green) , 1.75” (red), and 2” (blue) from the top edge. You will also mark a line 1” (brown) from the left and right and a line 1/4” from your brown line (black).

Step 4: Place pocket piece right side down on exterior piece. Place 1/2” down from the bottom of your accent strip, and 3” from either side. Pin into place and sew around the outer edge of the rectangle that you made.

Step 5: Once you have sewed around, then you will use the center line as a guide to carefully slice into both layers of fabric. Stop once you hit the corner of your triangles and carefully snip the triangles open. Push your pocket piece through the hole you just made and press carefully. It will take some patience to get everything to lie flat.

Step 6: Now place your zipper - (Pull side up) and center it. You will want to either glue baste or pin into place. Carefully stitch around your opening, very close to the edge. Securing the zipper into place. Fold up your pocket piece and align the bottom and top edges, so that it is right sides together. Pin into place and then you are going to stitch it closed using a 1/4” seam. You will only stitch around the pocket! Do not stitch into the exterior fabrics.

Step 7: Place exterior pieces right sides together and sew along the left, bottom and right side using a 5/8” seam - leaving the top open.

Step 8: Now it’s time to make the boxed corners. Place your hand inside your bag and make a triangle in one of the bottom corners by matching up the side seam with the bottom seam. Pin into place. Mark 3” from either side and make a line. Then sew along that line. Be sure to back stitch. Do this to both sides of your exterior piece. Then trim off the excess fabric 1/4” from your sewed line.

Step 9: Now you are going to make another zippered pocket - but you will do this with one of your lining pieces. Follow steps 3-6 to sew another zippered pocket into your lining. The only change that you will make is placing your pocket piece 2.5” down from the top of your lining piece - everything else is the same.

Step 10: Take your 12” x 16” pocket piece. Fold in half - sew around the perimeter of the pocket piece using 1/4” seam - leave a 2-3” opening on the side that is not folded. Turn right side out and press. Top-stitch along the side that does NOT have the opening.

Step 11: Place pocket on top of your other lining piece that does not already have the zippered pocket. Place 2.5” down from the top edge of your lining and 2” from the left and right side. Sew along the left, bottom and right edge - stay really close to the edge. (Make sure you back stitch here to really tack your pocket down) You can also sew a line in the middle of your pocket - so you have two pockets.

Step 11: Place pocket on top of your other lining piece that does not already have the zippered pocket. Place 2.5” down from the top edge of your lining and 2” from the left and right side. Sew along the left, bottom and right edge - stay really close to the edge. (Make sure you back stitch here to really tack your pocket down) You can also sew a line in the middle of your pocket - so you have two pockets.

Step 12: Place your lining pieces right sides together - sew all the way around using a 5/8” seam allowance leaving the top opened and leave a 4” opening on the bottom. (this is where you will pull everything right side out)

Step 14: Fold your handle piece in half and finger press - this will give you a guideline. Now open back up and fold the top edge to the center line and press. Now fold the bottom up to the center line and press. Then fold over on itself and press again. Top stitch along the left and right edge. **If you would like to make your handles shorter than the 30” that I did for mine you will want to cut them down to the size you need before you sew them on.

Step 15: Place your handles on the exterior of your bag. Place them 2” from the left and right seam. Sew them on with a 1/4” seam. Make sure you don’t twist your handles when you sew them on. Do this on both sides of your exterior piece.

Step 16: Place the exterior of your bag (Right side out) INSIDE the lining (Wrong side out) of your bag - make sure the handles are in the middle of the two pieces. Line up your side seams, and then pin all the way around. Sew a 5/8” seam all the way around the top bag.

Step 17: Now pull your bag right side out using the opening in the bottom of your lining. Sew lining shut and then tuck your lining into your bag and then top stitch around the top edge of your bag. This will secure your lining and exterior pieces together.

And you are done! Whew! That was a long winded post - but I promise it goes by pretty quickly when sewing this up! :)

Thank you for sharing the tote bag pattern - when I make it everyone will certainly know your website! I never got to Fort Worth on our short Texas visit some years ago, but will look you up if/when I go again.Pauline - Barraba-girl NSW Australia

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